306 FISHES OP ILLINOIS 



Its food, so far as known, is similar to that of most of the 

 other members of the family, consisting mainly of larvae of 

 small Diptera, Chironomus larvae predominating. 



Males and females in breeding colors, the latter greatly dis- 

 tended with eggs, have been taken by us in late May and early 

 June. 



ETHEOSTOMA CAMURUM (Cope) 



BLUE-BREASTED DARTER 



Cope, 1870, Proc. Am. Philos. Soc. Phila., 265 (Poecilichthys). 



J. & G., 506 (Nothonotus); M. V., 130; B., I, 69; J. & E., I, 1076; N., 34 (Poecilich- 

 thys niger); J., 41 (Nothonotus); L., 28. 



This darter has been taken in the White River basin in 

 Indiana by Dr. Jordan. Although reported by Mr. Thomas 

 Large* from Peoria, from Union county, and from the Saline 

 and lower Wabash basins, it is not now represented in our collec- 

 tions. A single specimen thought to belong to this species was 

 presented to this Laboratory by Mr. J. P. Baur, of the United 

 States Fish Commission, who took it from a pond near Naples, 

 Illinois, but it was unfortunately lost before the preliminary 

 identification could be verified. 



The species ranges, so far as known, from Lake Erie to 

 Tennessee in clear swift water. 



ETHEOSTOMA IOW>£ Jordan & Meek 



Jordan & Meek, 1885, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 10. 

 M. V., 133; B., I, 72 (iose); J. & FJ., I, 1083; L... 28. 



Length 2 inches; body rather long, more slender than other Illinois 

 species of Etheostoma; depth 5.4 to 6.8, usually not over 6, greatest width of 

 body about % its greatest depth; depth caudal peduncle 2.3 to 2.8 in its 

 length. Color of sides and upper parts light green, finely blotched with 

 darker; back with 8 or 9 small and rather obscure quadrate blotches of clove- 

 brown color; sides with 9 to 11 clove-brown bars, short and somewhat broken, 

 extending above lateral line half way to back and below it half way to belly 

 (the bars are greenish in pale specimens), squarish blotches of rusty red 

 alternating with the bars; belly greenish yellow to almost white, overlaid 

 between base of pectoral and anal fin with an orange band or a row of blotches 

 of same color; sides and top of head with dark brown vermiculations and 

 bands of brown; a band of brown before eye and one below it; upper half of 

 spinous dorsal, except margin, a brilliant orange, above and below which is 

 clove-brown to light green; pectorals, soft dorsal, and caudal fins barred brown 

 in the rays; ventrals and anal almost plain white. Females and males in 



* "A List of the Native Fishes of Illinois, with Keys," by Thomas Large. Rep. 111. State 

 Fish Comm, Sept. 30, 1900, to Oct. 1, 1902. 



